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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
IRAN WAR
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told several of his foreign counterparts in recent days that “for the time being” the United States is not expected to launch new strikes against Iran. According to a U.S. official, the focus is on other forms of pressure, including economic sanctions. However, Rubio made clear that the United States will not rule out retaliatory strikes if Iran attacks first. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.
President Trump yesterday said that the U.S. Navy has cleared all mines from the main shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz. He also warned Iran that any ship or boat placing new mines will be “immediately and systematically destroyed.” Two U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed Trump’s announcement. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.
In a joint statement, Iran and Oman yesterday said they discussed a “joint temporary navigational corridor” through the Strait of Hormuz, and agreed to clear it of mines. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told state TV that the two countries had reached an understanding on a temporary route. Yomma Ehab reports for Reuters; AP News reports.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian yesterday said the country is firmly opposed to the “illegal unilateral sanctions” against Iran, and would take “all necessary measures” to safeguard its rights. Lin also said that cooperation between the United States and China “has always been conducted within the framework of international law and should not be interfered with or disrupted.” Ian Aikman reports for BBC News.
IRAN WAR – OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
The U.S. Secret Service yesterday confirmed it is aware that Iranian state media aired a video that appears to threaten the life of Trump’s son Barron. The broadcast segment began with an English graphic that read “Where to kill Barron Trump,” labeled Barron as a “target,” and alleged that a $10 million bounty had been offered for his killing. AP News reports; Jalen Beckford reports for POLITICO; Reuters reports.
The United States will begin to send personnel back to some diplomatic missions in the Middle East, sources have told Reuters. Posts in Lebanon, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iraq will see staff return, while family members will also be allowed to return to the U.S. post in Riyadh. One of the sources claims that some staff are expected to return as early as this week. The return of staff comes in the wake of decreased military actions across the region. Humeyra Pamuk reports.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Parents in Gaza on Monday were warned to stop their children from flying kites in the area for fear of a forceful response from the Israeli military. The announcement by the “popular committees” was coordinated with Hamas authorities, according to a Hamas source. Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.
Israeli strikes yesterday killed at least seven people across Gaza, according to a source at al-Shifa Hospital. Al Jazeera reports.
WEST BANK VIOLENCE
Far-right Israeli lawmaker Zvi Sukkot yesterday smashed a Palestinian monument in the village of Madama in the occupied West Bank while escorted by Israeli soldiers. The New York Times verified the footage, which showed the lawmaker strike the monument with a sledgehammer whilst at least two soldiers stood nearby. In a statement, the Israeli military said that while Sukkot was on a tour of Palestinian communities, he had “acted deceptively and manipulatively, without authorization, departing entirely from the approved framework.” Adam Rasgon reports.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
C.I.A. Director John Ratcliffe yesterday made a secret diplomatic trip to Moscow. Data from the online flight tracking service FlightRadar24 showed that Ratcliffe was on the ground for around eight hours. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri S. Peskov told reporters that he had no information about the plane and that there were no plans for meetings with representatives of Trump’s administration. The C.I.A. has declined to comment. Julian E. Barnes and Paul Sonne report for the New York Times.
In an interview with Reuters, ousted Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Ukraine appears to be slowly losing the war against Russia. He claims Ukraine lacks overall vision for how to win the war and has been hobbled by its failure to innovate. Max Hunder reports.
The governor of Russia’s Tambov region said today that a Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire that destroyed a warehouse run by Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries. Two people were wounded in the overnight strike. In separate strikes on the Lipetsk region, a man and a teenager were killed in a fire lit by a falling drone, while a woman was killed in a drone attack in Belgorod region, according to local authorities. Reuters reports.
The Russian Defense Ministry yesterday claimed that its forces struck five vessels at Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. Vessels, as well as port infrastructure, at the ports of Pivdennyi and Odesa were struck, and fuel storage facilities at the port of Chornomorsk were also hit. Reuters reports.
A Russian drone strike yesterday damaged the Vynohradivka border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Sybiha called on the international community to “condemn Russia’s systematic targeting of civilian transport corridors and critical border infrastructure.” Jonas Heins reports for the Kyiv Independent.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday issued a decree that granted his government powers to temporarily manage critical infrastructure facilities if their owners cannot protect them against security threats. The decree gives Russia’s Federal Agency for State Property powers to seize industrial sites at risk, and operate seized businesses as the owner. Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov yesterday clarified that the decree is “not talking about nationalization.” Daria Zakharova reports for POLITICO.
SUDANESE CIVIL WAR
Sudan Doctors Network yesterday accused the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement of killing 27 people. Four children were among those killed in the Southern Sudan regions of Qardud and Abu Hamama. The Network stressed that targeting civilians “on ethnic grounds constitutes an explicit violation of international humanitarian law.” Noha Elhennawy reports for AP News.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu yesterday ordered the military and other security agencies to launch an immediate rescue operation after 600 people were abducted during an attack on a mosque in north-central Niger State last week. An official from Borgu district, where the attack happened, said 30 people had been killed during the attacks and were buried on Sunday. Macdonald Dzirutwe and Ben Ezeamalu report for Reuters.
The former commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, yesterday announced the official dissolution of the group, which has merged with the Syrian army. Abdi said that now that the country has entered a new phase of peace, it was the “end of the SDF’s mission.” Ghaith Al Sayed and Abby Sewell report for AP News.
The U.N. and the International Committee of the Red Cross yesterday made a joint call for countries to adopt bans and restrictions on the use of autonomous weapons systems, warning that “the risks have intensified.” Jamey Keaten reports for AP News.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Trump yesterday threatened to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America as escalations continue between the United States and Canada. Canada announced retaliatory tariffs affecting a number of goods. These new levies would go into effect on Sept. 8. Analysts noted that the tariffs targeted goods made in states with hotly contested congressional elections. Canadian Industry Minister Melanie Joly said that Canada was “being wise and strategic.” Karoum Demirjian reports for the New York Times; Paul Vieira reports for the Wall Street Journal.
U.S. CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC OPERATIONS
The U.S. military yesterday said four people were killed in a strike on a vessel in the Caribbean. According to U.S. Southern Command, “confirmed intelligence revealed the vessel’s active involvement in narco-trafficking. The operation killed four narco-terrorists.” Kanishka Singh reports for Reuters.
U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS
The Trump administration has issued a pause on immigrant visa appointments for applicants around the world, a State Department spokesperson said yesterday. The spokesperson added that the department launched a global visa training initiative at all U.S. embassies and consulates earlier this month and that appointments for visa services had to be adjusted to accommodate the training. Kanishka Singh reports for Reuters.
The father of a U.S. sailor on board the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, who was taken into custody by Border Patrol agents over the weekend, was released yesterday, his family said. Kanishka Singh and Steve Gorman report for Reuters.
Hundreds of federal immigration officers responsible for screening immigration applications for false information and possible security threats are being reassigned to search for potential noncitizen voter registration, three former officials told the Washington Post. Ted Hesson reports.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
A federal appeals court yesterday ruled that political parties cannot receive the discounted TV advertising rates available to candidates. Republicans are expected to appeal. Andrew Howard and Jessica Piper report for POLITICO.
A federal judge yesterday blocked Ohio from requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote at Bureau of Motor Vehicles offices, finding that the requirement conflicts with the National Voter Registration Act. Ashley Ahn reports for POLITICO.
A federal judge yesterday struck down a 2023 Texas state law that sought to restrict drag shows, ruling it improperly restricted speech and violated the First Amendment. Raquel Coronell Uribe reports for NBC News.
A federal judge yesterday dismissed Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell’s petition to vacate her conviction and sentence, calling it “demonstrably meritless, and generally based on speculation, distortions, and/or outright falsehoods.” Ashley Ahn reports for POLITICO.
Elon Musk will not face criminal charges for alleged election bribery in Wisconsin’s 2025 Supreme Court election, La Crosse County District Attorney Tum Gruenke announced yesterday. La Crosse said he does not believe he could convince a jury that Musk committed a crime in his 2025 social media posts, in which he offered to “personally hand over two checks for a million dollars” to voters. Jalen Beckford reports for POLITICO.
The Louisiana National Guard will end its eight-month deployment patrolling the streets of New Orleans on Aug. 31, Lt. Col. Noel Collins said yesterday. Jack Brook reports for AP News.
Two unvaccinated people in Pennsylvania have died after contracting measles, health officials said yesterday, the first such deaths recorded this year. Mariam E. Sunny and Siddhi Mahatole report for Reuters.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS
Trump on Monday submitted his 30-year nuclear accord with Saudi Arabia to Congress for review. The accord would give U.S. companies a central role in developing Saudi Arabia’s nuclear infrastructure while excluding foreign competition. However, the deal could also open the door for uranium enrichment and requires that Saudi Arabia normalize relations with Israel by joining the Abraham Accords. Michael R. Gordon and Robbie Gramer report for the Wall Street Journal.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismantled much of the U.S. military’s Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response mission despite near-unanimous top-level military support for the program, according to a 2025 poll. The only exception was the Department of the Army, headed by a civilian appointee, which agreed with getting rid of CHMR entirely. It appears that recent pressure from Congress and within the military has led the Defense Department to change its position. In April, Elbridge Colby, the Defense Department’s under secretary for policy, sent a memo about the civilian enterprise to Hegseth proposing a reboot of the program. The same commanders Hegseth polled earlier endorsed the move, several defense officials told ProPublica. Megan Rose and Hannah Allam report.
Ticket sales and fundraising collapsed after Trump’s name was added to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, according to confidential documents obtained by the Washington Post. The documents show that the center’s leaders were aware of the deteriorating financial situation even as they publicly portrayed Trump’s takeover as a financial rescue. Jonathan Edwards reports for the Washington Post.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION
A federal judge yesterday declined to block a final rule that the U.S. Postal Service adopted that would tighten requirements for mail-in voting, even as she concluded that the agency had violated a court order by issuing it. She said that given that USPS acknowledges it cannot implement its rule while her injunction remains in place, she would not order it blocked at this time. Nate Raymond reports for Reuters.
Did you miss this? Stay up-to-date with our Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions.
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ICYMI: Yesterday on Just Security
